Laver Cup: How Felix Auger-Aliassime plans to interrupt 'vicious cycle' of shedding early

Article content material

The legendary Roger Federer is assured that Felix Auger-Aliassime will discover his wayward recreation.

Article content material

The grasp of research John McEnroe expects the 23-year-old Montreal native, who suffered a trio of beautiful first-round exits this season on the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, to beat the adversity of a nagging knee tendon ailment to say a Grand Slam title by the top of the 2024 marketing campaign.

Article content material

And rivals within the Laver Cup that commences Friday at Rogers Enviornment, can’t say sufficient about Auger-Aliassime’s potential to as soon as once more dominate on the courtroom and be a rallying power off it. The kudos come for good motive.

If the Canadian turns again the aggressive clock to the 2022 Laver Cup in London, he may help cease his present skid and shift each physique and thoughts into overdrive. His straight-sets dominance of Novak Djokovic and doubles triumph with Jack Sock over Matteo Berrentini and Andy Murray powered Workforce World to its first conquer Workforce Europe within the fifth annual assembly of tennis giants.

Article content material

“Hopefully, I could be like final 12 months — that will be nice,” an upbeat Auger-Aliassime stated Wednesday. “It might be nice to finish the season like that and I’ve achieved it earlier than. And I’ve a perception deep within me that I can try this. 

“It wasn’t an accident. I can repeat that type of degree and consistency. I wish to really feel more healthy and I’m always engaged on that and get again to how I used to be enjoying and I’m going to make use of this (Laver Cup) as a possibility.

“It’s a reasonably even matchup and I believe we now have a reasonably good likelihood of profitable. We now have what it takes however Workforce Europe is all the time robust.”

Which, in fact, will solely make Auger-Aliassime extra dialed in to assist contribute within the supportive group surroundings. With teammates Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Francisco Cerundolo — and Milos Raonic and Chris Eubanks serving as alternates — there’s an excellent likelihood of success.

Article content material

Article content material

“I wish to be the one who’s dictating and taking management of the match,” added Auger-Aliassime. “I wish to put myself in that place and work my manner by that.”

The hope and the proof are within the outcomes.

Auger-Aliassime adopted up his London triumphs with a tremendous 16-match profitable streak and completed the 12 months with a career-high No.6 rating. His present rank is No.14.

Final 12 months, Auger-Aliassime superior to the quarterfinals on the Australian Open and fourth spherical of the French Open. In 2021, he obtained to the quarterfinal at Wimbledon and semifinal on the U.S. Open.

It’s why the newest setback, a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6 loss to American Mackenzie McDonald on the U.S. Open earlier this month, was so stunning. The Fortieth-ranked McDonald took out the fifteenth seed, who was suffering from poor serving and returning.

Article content material

Auger-Aliassime was simply 46 per cent in first-serve accuracy, dedicated 52 unforced errors and had 39 winners. He was additionally 1-for-13 in service-break alternatives and would see his 2023 tour match report fall to 14-15.

“My knee was holding up in August, nevertheless it was actually psychological,” he stated of the early U.S. Open exit. “I felt I used to be practising nicely and enjoying higher. The primary set ought to have been mine — I had a set level at 5-4 — and it was a rally that I might normally clutch up and win that necessary level.

“It was irritating. I wasn’t enjoying nicely when it actually mattered.”

For now, Auger-Aliassime has to abide by the 10-90 Rule.

It’s 10 per cent of what happens to you throughout knowledgeable profession — sub-par recreation, damage or different distractions — and 90 per cent the way you take care of the adversity. And for Auger-Aliassime, who performed free and simple as an 18-year-old ball of fireplace — and superior to 3 ATP finals and the Davis Cup remaining — he’s enjoying a brand new recreation.

Article content material

This one is thoughts over matter. 

For those who don’t thoughts, then it doesn’t matter. Enjoying by mid-match knee ache is a take a look at of will and ability and Auger-Aliassime will probably be higher off for passing the take a look at.

In spite of everything, in 2022 he performed into the second week of the Australian Open regardless of knee ache. He gained 60 matches that 12 months, 4 ATP titles, and in 2021, he turned the primary Canadian to advance to the U.S. Open semifinals.

“Folks closest to me, they see what I am going by day by day they usually see my effort hasn’t modified,” identified Auger-Aliassime. “My dedication to a recreation I like hasn’t modified, nevertheless it’s been robust. The damage has taken a very long time to heal and it’s sort of on and off.

“It was tough to undertaking myself all year long and that I might play many weeks in a row. I might get an early loss and be on this vicious cycle and shedding early, shedding some confidence and never being wholesome.

Article content material

“It’s in all probability the largest problem I’ve had to this point in my profession. The previous couple of years have been nice and rising yearly. This 12 months, I’m attempting to method it with the perfect mentality as a result of we are able to’t all the time management how issues go.

“However we are able to management the response.”

Gabriel Diallo would embrace the stress and status of changing into the longer term face of Canadian tennis and he doesn’t should look far for inspiration.

Shut pal Auger-Aliassime serves as an apparent function mannequin as a result of it’s his drive and deportment that resonates with Diallo, who desires to be nearly as good off the courtroom as he has been on it.

Not solely has the 21-year-old Montreal native taken his recreation to a different degree, he’s additionally incomes a level in finance.

“Felix is any individual I actually look as much as and I skilled together with his dad in Quebec Metropolis after I was 15,” Diallo instructed Postmedia on the 2022 Odlum Brown Vancouver Open.

Article content material

“And it’s not solely his tennis recreation, it’s the best way he carries himself off the courtroom, He’s extraordinarily skilled and very well revered within the tennis world. It’s an important instance to observe.

“I’m actually proud to be Canadian and to be considered the way forward for Canadian tennis could be an enormous honour for me. I’ll attempt to symbolize Canada one of the best ways I can.”

For Auger-Aliassime, each little bit of assist and encouragement from household and pals means every part.

“It’s good to listen to that,” Auger-Aliassime stated Wednesday. “He’s an excellent pal and I used to be lucky to start out my profession fairly early on and undergo experiences at a younger age — the stress and high-level stress.

“So, to share a few of these experiences after we play as a group, he’s been near me and my household and we skilled at my dad’s academy for a few years. He’s like household to me.”

[email protected]

Article content material